The Power of forgiveness

Jesus said “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Let’s explore what the Bible says about this commonly misunderstood topic. First, let’s look at the Lord’s teaching on forgiving others. In His model prayer, Jesus says, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). The term “debts” here refers to spiritual or moral debts, for we are debtors to God (or others) for our sins. Jesus makes this plain in Luke 11:4, where He gives His model prayer in these words: “Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Jesus spent a great deal of time talking about the importance of forgiving others. He made it clear that forgiveness is to be a characteristic of his followers. So let’s explore what it means to forgive others, the benefits of forgiving and how to forgive. Jesus passionately taught us to forgive others.

He wants us to be at peace and for that to happen anger must be replaced with forgiveness.

What did Jesus mean when He said, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”?

Why is this so important? Forgiveness is absolutely vital to a glorious lives and our relationship with God. Notice that in the Lord’s Prayer, forgiveness is the only thing that we ask for that comes with a condition – ‘Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us’. If we don’t forgive then God can’t forgive us –. Just in case we missed the point in the prayer Jesus then repeats it explicitly in Matt 6: 14-15. “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.5 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” More than that God will not accept our worship if we hold unforgiveness in our hearts – see Matt 5;23-24. Even more than that, God will not even hear our prayers if we hold unforgiveness in our hearts. Read Matt 6;12 very carefully in the ‘forgive us our debts as we have already forgiven our debtors’ – you cannot even say the Lord’s Prayer unless you have already forgiven everyone who has wronged you, and the Lord’s Prayer is the most basic prayer there is. This shows how crucial it is that we forgive others. Our Lord reiterated this same instruction in Mark 11:25: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgression. The Lord said in another context, “Pardon, and you will be pardoned” (Luke 6:37). This suggests that we will not be pardoned if we refuse to pardon those who sin against us.

Charles Spurgeon said “Unless you have forgiven others, you read your own death-warrant when you repeat the Lord’s Prayer.”

An apology begins with humility and ends with integrity. Apologizing has the potential to not only correct a wrong, but restore the confidence others have in you. When you don’t forgive, it brings up a barrier to the joy God has for you. No one is ever truly happy if they have unforgiveness in their heart. Not forgiving evaporates your joy and interferes with the effectiveness of your prayer life. If you have unforgiveness the water in your soul will become bitter and not forgiving pollutes your soul and opens the door for the enemy to work in your life.

At the core of most problems is a truth you don’t want to face. The toughest part of apologizing is realizing and admitting that you were wrong/ so the power of one minute apology is deeper than just words. Apology is incomplete without a sincere attempt to make things right. Your apology should not be attached to the outcome or response you get- whether the people forgive you or not. Apologize not for the outcome but because you know you were wrong and it’s the right thing to do.

Forgiveness is not directly about you and your feelings. It is about restoring the relationship and doing so, not by ignoring the sin or excusing it, but by open and honest rebuke and open and honest repentance on their part. Forgiveness is to release from hard feelings, yes, but it is also to release from revenge and to help them overcome their sins!

When we sincerely apologize, forgive ourselves, make amends, and demonstrate we’ve changed, we have more peace of mind. The longer you wait to apologize, the sooner your weakness is perceived as wickedness. Have a sense of urgency about apologizing –you act as soon as possible. When all said and done, the most important thing we have is our integrity. Honesty is telling the truth to ourselves and others, integrity is living that truth. Integrity means consistency. It is being the kind of person you want to be regardless of the situation. Integrity is all about walking your talk. The legacy you leave is the one you live. Your self –worth is not based on your performance or the opinion of others. Your self –worth is based on acknowledging and valuing what your creator value. If you value what God value you become valuable. When you make a mistake, you are willing to admit it regardless of the outcome. Every one minute apology makes you more aware of how much your behavior affects others. People with humility don’t think less of themselves they just think about themselves less. A one minute apology can be an effective way to correct a mistake you have made and restore the trust needed for good relationship. Great leaders give everyone else credit when things go well. And when things go wrong, they take full responsibility. However, self centered leaders take the credit when thing go well and blame everyone else when things go wrong. Take full responsibility for your actions and any harm done to anyone else.

Bible says “And don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior” (Ephesians 4:26-27, 31)

As the verses above tell us, anger gives Devil a foothold in our lives. Anger has a devastating effect on our relationship with God as well as with others. Over time we’ll take our anger out on those around us. It consumes us unless we deal with it.

To forgive means to not seek revenge or bitterness on the one who has hurt you. It means letting go of the anger we harbor inside us and allowing God to deal with him or her as he, in His perfect wisdom, sees fit.

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

It doesn’t mean excusing a wrong or denying that it ever happened. It means we don’t allow ourselves to be consumed with anger towards the one who has done something to us. Instead of cursing the people who has wrong us, we pray for them. Here are three verses that reflect the attitude of the forgiving heart: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.” (1 Peter 3:9)